There Is vs There Are: What's the Difference?
The verb agrees with the noun that follows: singular takes there is, plural takes there are.
Word Origins & Etymology
In "there is/there are," the word there is a "dummy" or existential subject — it does not point to a place; it simply introduces the existence of something.
The real subject is the noun that comes after the verb, which is why that noun, not "there," decides whether you use is or are.
Because "there" is only a placeholder, the verb agrees with the noun that follows it. Singular or uncountable → is; plural → are.
⚡ Quick Answer
Use there are with a plural noun: "There are two problems."
Memory Trick: Look at the noun after the verb, not the word "there." One thing → is; more than one → are.
🔑 Key Takeaway
The noun that follows controls the verb. Singular/uncountable → there is (there’s). Plural → there are. Past tense: there was / there were.
| Subject noun | Use | Contraction | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singular | there is | there’s | "There is a cat." |
| Uncountable | there is | there’s | "There is water." |
| Plural | there are | (no standard one) | "There are cats." |
Quick Comparison
| Form | Use It For | Quick Check |
|---|---|---|
| There is | One thing or an uncountable noun | Is the following noun singular/uncountable? Use there is. |
| There are | Two or more things | Is the following noun plural? Use there are. |
| There was / were | The same rule in the past | Past + singular = was; past + plural = were. |
When to Use "There Is"
Use there is (often contracted to there’s) when the noun that follows is singular or uncountable.
- There is a message for you.
- There’s too much noise in here.
- There is some bread in the kitchen.
When to Use "There Are"
Use there are when the following noun is plural.
- There are three messages for you.
- There are many reasons to wait.
- There are people outside.
The List Exception
When a sentence lists several items, the verb usually agrees with the first noun, especially in speech.
- There is a pen and two notebooks on the desk.
- There are two notebooks and a pen on the desk.
In careful writing, many prefer to rephrase such lists. The core rule is the same idea as subject-verb agreement — just looking forward to the real subject.
Why "There's" Slips Out
The contraction there’s is so easy to say that it attaches to plurals in casual speech ("there’s three reasons"). In writing, resist it: a plural noun needs there are. The deeper habit is to read forward to the real subject before committing to the verb, because here the subject follows it. The same applies in the past (there was / there were) and the future (there will be, unchanged for singular and plural). When a sentence feels awkward, rephrasing to put the subject first often reads better.
Common Mistakes
Mistake #1: "there is" with a plural
✗ Wrong: There is many options to choose from.
✓ Right: There are many options to choose from.
Reason: Options is plural, so use there are.
Mistake #2: "there are" with an uncountable
✗ Wrong: There are a lot of traffic today.
✓ Right: There is a lot of traffic today.
Reason: Traffic is uncountable, so use there is.
Mistake #3: "there’s" with a plural (in writing)
✗ Wrong: There’s three people waiting.
✓ Right: There are three people waiting.
Reason: In standard writing, plural nouns take there are, not there’s.
Mistake #4: wrong past form
✗ Wrong: There was many problems last year.
✓ Right: There were many problems last year.
Reason: Past plural takes there were.
🎯 Test Your Knowledge
1. ____ a book on the table.
2. ____ several errors in this report.
3. ____ some sugar left in the jar.
4. (past) ____ ten people at the meeting.
5. ____ a lot of information online.
See It Live: Our Engine Flags a Real Mistake
What you type here is checked live in your browser. The starter line pairs there is with a plural — edit it or paste your own and watch the result.
Expected correction: There are several reasons to reconsider the plan.
Honest limits: the engine catches many there is/are agreement slips, but uncountable nouns and lists can be tricky. Check the noun that follows, then run the check.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I choose there is vs there are?
Is "there’s three people" correct?
What about a list of items?
What are the past-tense forms?
Does "there" mean a place here?
Real-World Examples
There are three items on the agenda.
There is a parcel at the door.
There is strong evidence for the claim.
There are two seats left.
(past) There were fewer complaints this quarter.
There is heavy traffic on the bridge.
There is two options.
There are a lot of homework.
Why This Agreement Slips
The trouble is that the subject comes after the verb, so writers lock in "there is/there’s" before they reach the real noun. Contracted "there’s" feels natural even before plurals, and uncountable nouns that imply a large quantity tempt "there are." The fix is to look forward to the noun and let it, not the word "there," set the verb.
There is vs there are is subject-verb agreement with the subject moved after the verb. Strengthen the core skill in subject-verb agreement and apply countability from countable vs uncountable nouns.
Related Articles
- Subject-Verb Agreement — The general rule behind there is / there are
- Countable vs Uncountable Nouns — Why uncountables take "there is"
- Much vs Many — Quantifiers that follow there is / there are
- This, That, These, Those — More number-agreement practice
- ← View All Grammar Guides
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